Monday, August 27 2012
Big Band Sound makes noise in Play the King
TORONTO, August 26 - Kendel Standlee’s Big Band Sound, with Tyler Pizarro aboard, took over in mid-stretch and drew off to a two and one-half length tally in the featured $202,400 Play the King Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.
It was only the second win in seven starts this year for the five-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Bernstein, but he’d been knocking at the door, with four consecutive runner-up finishes in added money events at Woodbine, before being freshened by trainer Danny Vella after a neck loss to Riding the River in the King Edward on June 24.
Sunday, August 19 2012
‘Beauty’ a beast in taking Victoriana
TORONTO, August 18 – William Gierkink’s Moonlit Beauty went wire-to-wire to take Saturday's $126,200 Victoriana Stakes at Woodbine.
The head victory was the Perigee Moon mare's eighth career score from 31 starts and first added-money win since taking last year’s Belle Geste Stakes.
Monday, August 13 2012
‘Gail’ force wins Eternal Search
TORONTO, August 12 - It's Gail, under a strong ride by Luis Contreras, stormed to the lead in deep stretch to win the $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.
The chestnut daughter of Niigon-Bob's Choice, trained by Bob Tiller for owner Rolph A. Davis, closed swiftly down the lane and survived a claim of foul from Justin Stein, rider of third-place finisher Future Surprise, after lugging in during the late stages of the 1 1/16-mile main-track event.
Wednesday, August 08 2012
Emma-Jayne Wilson: #Chasing1000 at the Shergar Cup
TORONTO, August 8 - Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, a veteran of more than 7,000 starts, is only 12 wins shy of 1,000 in her career and she’s hoping to add to her impressive totals when she takes part in a team competition at Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot, in England.
Wilson will be joined in the Shergar Cup by fellow female riders Hayley Turner (team captain) and Chantal Sutherland to compete as ‘The Girls’ team against top international riders from Europe (captained by Frankie Dettori), Great Britain & Ireland (captained by Kieren Fallon) and the ‘Rest of the World’ (captained by Yutaka Take).
Monday, August 06 2012
Royal Egbert rules in Shepperton
TORONTO, August 6 – Four-year-old Royal Egbert, a stablemate of 1-5 favourite Gypsy Ring, stole the spotlight in Holiday Monday’s $125,000 Shepperton Stakes, at Woodbine.
The Ontario-bred son of Old Forester, who was the 9-2 second choice, notched his third consecutive win for owner, trainer and breeder, Paul Buttigieg. Gypsy Ring was fourth.
Irish Mission a turf titan in Breeders’ Stakes
TORONTO, August 5 - Irish Mission held off Aldous Snow in a dramatic stretch duel in the 122nd edition of the Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Sunday at Woodbine.
Irish Mission, a daughter of Giant's Causeway, was ridden to the half-length score by Alex Solis for trainer Mark Frostad and owner Robert Evans. Quaesitor was third, while Seen It All Before was fourth.
Sunday, August 05 2012
Alpha Bettor ‘A-OK’ in Seagram Cup
TORONTO, August 4 - Alpha Bettor, at odds of 23-1, put in a sustained stretch run to win the Grade 3, $152,400 Seagram Cup, Saturday at Woodbine.
The Alphabet Soup-Scatter Buy chestnut, trained by Dan Vella for Bulldog Racing, rated off the early pace of Incredicat in the 1 1/16-mile main track event and surged home a half-length winner to take his first added-money event.
Saturday, August 04 2012
Brnjas hoping for déjà vuvu with Seen It All Before
TORONTO, August 3 - On Sunday, trainer Ashlee Brnjas will saddle just the 17th stakes starter of her career when she sends out Seen It All Before in the $500,000, Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, at Woodbine.
The 30-year-old conditioner, who in 2012 entered her sixth year as the private trainer for Colebrook Farms of her father, John, admits to being a bit nervous at the prospect of Sunday's Canadian classic.
Friday, August 03 2012
Dixie poised to ‘Strike’ in Breeders’
TORONTO, August 2 - Filly Dixie Strike, winner of the Prince of Wales, has been listed the 5-2 favourite for Sunday's $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, at Woodbine.
The 122nd running of the Breeders', for Canadian-bred three-year-olds, over one and one-half miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, will go postward at 5:12 pm ET, with The Score providing nationwide television coverage in a special one-hour presentation from 4:30 - 5:30 pm ET.
Thursday, August 02 2012
Breeders’ Stakes Notes for Wednesday, August 1, 2012
CAN DUO GIVE KEOGH MORE WANDO-FUL BREEDERS' MEMORIES?
It was nine years ago this week that trainer Mike Keogh was getting a horse ready for a critical start in the Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, at Woodbine.
That horse's name was Wando. And it was Wandomania running wild in 2003.
Wednesday, August 01 2012
Breeders` Stakes Notes for Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Horse/Trainer/Owner/Jockey
Aldous Snow/Malcolm Pierce/Sam-Son Farm/Eurico Rosa da Silva
Big Kick/Jose Corrales/Stronach Stables/Kieren Fallon
Monday, July 30 2012
Queen’s Plate champion Strait of Dover out of Breeders’ Stakes
TORONTO, July 30 - Queen's Plate champion, Strait of Dover, who would have been the likely favourite for Sunday's Breeders' Stakes, third and turf jewel of Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, has suffered a leg injury and is out for the season.
"He has a small tear in the suspensory (ligament)," said trainer Dan Vella, who trains the son of English Channel for Wally and Terry Leong’s British Columbia-based Canyon Farms. "We discovered it a couple of days ago. The long-term prognosis is very good, but he's out for the year."
